Power Nap With TES-TI

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Non-restorative Sleep; Healthy Volunteer

• Registration Number: NCT07090135
• Lead Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether stimulating the brain with electrical current during naps can increase certain kinds of brain activity that happen during sleep and lead to improvements in mental fatigue.

Participants will attend 2 study visits, each of which may last up to 4-5 hours. During these visits, participants will wear a high density electroencephalography (hdEEG) cap and take a nap.

Detailed Description

This project aims to use transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) to enhance the production of sleep slow waves, boosting the restorative power of sleep and mitigating cognitive impairment (mental fatigue) and its underlying cause (brain fatigue).

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-07
• Study First Submitted: 2025-07-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-07-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-07-28
• Study First Posted: 2025-07-29
• Last Update Posted: 2025-07-31
• Study Start: 2025-08-01
• Primary Completion: 2027-02
• Study Completion: 2027-02-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 25

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults aged 25-75 of any gender identity
• Whose sleep is subjectively 'non-restorative'
• English-speaking (able to provide consent and complete questionnaires)
• Capable of taking daytime naps

Exclusion Criteria

• Any current or history of neurological disorders or acquired neurological disease (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury), including intracranial lesions

• History of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization

• History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness; or a history of >3 grade I concussions

• Current history of poorly controlled headaches including intractable or poorly controlled migraines

  • Any systemic illness or unstable medical condition that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.)

• History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, history of abnormal (epileptiform) EEG, or family history of treatment resistant epilepsy except for a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist

• Possible pregnancy or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months

• Any metal in the head

• Any medical devices or implants (i.e. cardiac pacemaker, medication infusion pump, cochlear implant, vagal nerve stimulator)

• Dental implants

• Permanent retainers

• Any hair braid, dreadlocks, hair pieces, or extensions which cannot be taken out before the study sessions

• Any head coverings or headdress that participant feels uncomfortable removing for the purposes of study sessions

• Any medication that may alter seizure threshold taken during the study i.e., ADHD stimulants (Adderall, amphetamine); Tricyclic/atypical antidepressants (amitriptyline, doxepine, imipramine, maprotiline, nortriptyline, bupropion); Antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, clozapine), Bronchodilators (theophylline, aminophylline); Antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, imipenem, penicillin, cephalosporins, metronidazole, isoniazid); Antivirals (valacyclovir, ritonavir); OTC antihistamines (diphenhydramine, Benadryl)

• Claustrophobia (a fear of small or closed places)

• Back problems that would prevent lying flat for up to two hours

• Regular night-shift work (second or third shift)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in slow waves	Baseline to 1 month	Researchers will do a power analysis on high density EEG data for slow wave frequency (3-5Hz) and see if there is increase in this frequency range during/post stimulation.
Change in sleep quality and mood	Baseline to 1 month	Sleep quality and mood will be assessed using the Restorative Sleep Questionnaire (REST-Q), a 9-item questionnaire assessing aspects of restorative sleep. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale, scores range from 9-45. A higher score indicates a more restorative sleep.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Wisconsin - Madison; 🇺🇸 Madison, Wisconsin, United States